Queensland P76 Private Owners - Yowee's Adventures

I drove down to Canungra to do a survey for work. That is about 109 klms south from Brisbane. The trip was via Gold Coast freeway as far as Nerang, then turning off to head up through the mountains to Canungra.

: The weather was warm and the car cruised along the highway with the breeze flowing through the open windows. I was travelling up to the 110 klms where signed and took interest in watching some of the other motorists. They were checking out the car, some even gave me the thumbs up.

: In the mountainous area behind Nerang, driving the P76, I felt like I was in the car with Evan’s spirit. Travelling the winding roads of Sicily. The road was relatively empty of traffic, so driving hard was possible but then you would have missed the scenery. Back in my youth (35 years earlier or so), I had traveled through this area when I was in my Morris Marina (not Leyland). What a change has taken place. Where there was once bush and occasional house, lots of small acreage farms (mostly nurseries)and beautiful homes spring from the bush.

: I arrived in Canungra, now a progressive suburb of the Gold Coast. It still has a small hamlet feel about it. Completing my survey at the local newsagent for work, I went over to the Hotel to see whether they could accommodate the Qld P76 Owners club Christmas outing. The Hotel has a very nice area out back, with covered facilities.

: As I was talking to the Hotel management, a large thunder clap sounded, and next thing you could hear the rain then the hail falling on the tin roofs. I didn't know how lucky I was to be still in the town till later in the day. As I left the Hotel the rain finished and the sun started to shine again. Glanced over the car and headed back to Nerang.

: Some small distance from town, the road conditions had changed from when I drove into Canungra. There was blankets of leaves laying below the tree canopy on the road surface.
: Small hailstones now started to be seen laying beside the leaves on the road and water was rushing down the gutters as I progressed up the mountain.

: The rain started to fall again and the steam was rising from the cooling asphalt causing a fog cloud. The sun began to shine on the fog, and the glare was really bad.
: It was difficult to see the road. Cars started to appear from the fog, lots of them with no headlights on.

: Care had to be taken to see that you were on the right side of the road. I came across a number of cars that had pulled over to the curb, I think it was due to the heavy rain and hail. Hail stones the size of marbles laying everywhere. Looked like it had snowed and the temperature had fallen too.

: I thought to myself maybe I should stop for a little while for the fog to lift, but that thought disappeared and I continued on, wipers whisking back and forth across the screen.
: You wouldn't believe it, a small brown leaf had caught under the driver side wiper blade earlier, so obscuring my vision. I continued on, but when the weather got fouler I pulled over to remove the obstruction.

: My brief escape from the car corrected the problem but I was wet through. Cleaning my glasses, then checking the mirrors, I pulled back onto the road, the car started to splutter. My thoughts were of sitting on the side of the road waiting for the RACQ to rescue me, or, spending time, waiting for the rain to stop so as to get under the hood (in this case the engine bay) to try drying the distributor area and the wiring. Could not wait so pushed my foot down on the accelerator (SU carby doesn't do much), gradually the engine recovered and I keep going over the mountain.

: Some strange noises from the front of the car caused me to pull over a couple of times. The fan belt that I had replaced a couple of days before was now slipping, I also thought that I had picked up a stick in the front wheel area.
: Back in Nerang I turned south and headed to Burleigh to have a chinwag with Garth and Warren. I was able to tighten the fan belt before leaving.

: I travelled back to Brisbane later in the afternoon. At work I heard that another company member had his company car nearly destroyed by hail on the Gold Coast at another site.

: The adventure is over and I am pleased to be able to share my trip with you.

: Cheers
: Adrian

Queensland P76 Owners Club Inc. 2006

Travel Bug

by Yowee

My Travels Today 12th October 2005